Trucks entering capital: Civic bodies yet to enforce SC order on environment tax

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The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said it had engaged a contractor to collect the environment compensation charge (ECC) – Rs 700 for small and medium trucks and Rs 1,300 for large trucks. But the private body could not do so due to lack of infrastructure.

The corporation also said there are ambiguities on whether a carrier has to pay tax if it is carrying tax-exempted items. Currently, there is one concessionaire for all 127 tax collection points in the city and the contractor has raised these issues with the Chief Minister, the transport and environment departments as well as the civic bodies.
“He wrote to us with his queries on October 30 and we replied to him the same day to comply with the SC order,” said an SDMC spokesperson.

The contractor has also asked for clarity on modalities such as where the money has to be deposited, the methods for identifying exempted goods, procedure and penalties in case of violations among others. Corporation officials have stated that the concessionaire’s concerns were raised in court as well. The next date of hearing is on November 16.

The issue also figured in the weekly meeting of heads of all Delhi government departments, where Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said no excuses should be made by parties concerned in implementing the SC order. Sisodia added that air pollution in the capital was assuming alarming proportions and any laxity in implementing effective steps to check it will be detrimental.

The government also took a serious view of the non-implementation of the SC’s orders to collect the green tax.
Meanwhile, sources said the government was told that the required Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID)  will be installed at the nine major entry points in Delhi by November 30. The remaining 118 entry points in Delhi will be fitted with RFIDs and CCTV cameras by January 31, said sources. The data recorded on these devices will be linked with that of the state transport department.

The SMYR Consortium had pleaded with the SC to defer implementation of its order on ECC till December 1. But the court had refused.